PembrokeshireSport.co.uk is pleased to announce that a new badminton club has sprung up in Haverfordwest and are ready to welcome new players, including new starters in the game or those who have not played for years, with coaching available as a bonus.
 
The club was formed back in September 2021 with the aim of creating a social, friendly and fun club that welcomes badminton players of all levels. The interest and attendance in their first five months has been awesome with over 50 people visiting the club during that time.
 
The Haverfordwest Badminton Club has been playing at the tennis dome off Scarrowscant Lane but has now moved to Caer Elen School, where  beginners and mixed ability players will play on Tuesdays from 7pm to 8pm and then those more familiar with the game can play from  8pm to 9pm at a cost of £3 for an hour or £5 for two hours.
 

Committed members founded the club

 
Leading the way are respective chairman and vice chairman Tomos Waters and Dan Jenkins, who founded the club alongside Gareth Walters because they all love playing the game and felt there was a huge need for Haverfordwest to have an open-to-all badminton club in the county town of Pembrokeshire.
 
The trio already have experience of starting up a new badminton club because a decade ago they started out at the Leisure Centre in St Davids (Monday nights from 7-9pm) which is also a socially-based club with over 20 regular members.
 
They recently held their Inaugural AGM which was well attended and supported and already there is a strong community feel and they voted to choose our new club logo along with all the boring but important bits, like approving our constitution and voting for our club officers.


 

The officers elected were

 
Chairperson – Tomos Waters 
Vice Chair – Dan Jenkins 
Treasurer – Tomos Waters 
Secretary – To be confirmed 
 
Taking on the role of club captain is Becca Jenkins, who has only been playing badminton for three months and the organisers felt it was good to have someone who is learning the game and understands what it is like to start at the beginning.  
 
It is also good to report that there are two 16 year olds on the committee in Ki Phillips (now the junior captain) and John Musselwhite, both of whom are already excellent players with lots of potential, whilst Arfon Fry and Jernaja Stipcic are the other committee members.

A junior section is a key ambition

 
At the moment, it isn’t possible to hold a junior section but it is a future aim and those who are 13+ will be able to come along with parents who are involved.
 
Tomos Waters told us,
“We are hoping to arrange some friendly fixtures with other clubs later this year although the emphasis will be on fun!
 
“The club recently became a member of Badminton Wales and is delighted to have Dan Jenkins, an affiliated Badminton Wales Coach so involved at the club. I also qualified as an affiliated coach with Badminton Wales seven years ago and we are happy to give advice to anyone who wants it.
 
“Dan has had discussions with Pembrokeshire Leisure around the possibility of starting a junior club with some funding support. This is at an early stage but we would love to be able to offer a junior's hour, potentially when we move into the new school being built in Prendergast.”



 
“Our key aims and objectives are:
To promote the club and playing of badminton within the local community.  
To promote badminton as a social and fun sport to play. 
To improve the skills and fitness of members through a positive environment. 
To provide duty of care and protection to all club members. 
To make sure all club members are treated equally and fairly.”